MALIBU, Calif. – The final Grand Slam of the 2013 season is already underway, as the world’s top talent has converged in New York at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the US Open. Two Pepperdine standouts will be representing their countries in doubles, and of course their alma maters, at the two-week tournament, including Andre Begemann and Robert Lindstedt.

The US Open began today, August 26, and runs through September 9.

Begemann, who frequented the courts of Malibu from 2006-09, is currently ranked #41 in the world in doubles, after achieving a career-high ranking of #39 earlier this season.

The three-time ITA All-American helped bring home the program’s first and only NCAA Championship in 2006. As a sophomore, Begemann went undefeated in singles during the team tournament and clinched the 4-2 win over top-seeded Georgia with a three-set victory from the No. 4 position in the lineup.

Begemann was even more spectacular in doubles, reaching the finals of the 2006 NCAA Doubles Championship with teammate Scott Doerner. The pair still holds the program record for collecting 26 wins in a single season (dual season only).

The German native will partner with fellow countryman Martin Emmrick. The duo will face Alex Kuznetsov and Bobby Reynolds of the United States in the opening round.

Lindstedt enters the championship with a doubles ranking of #17. After parting ways with Daniel Nestor last week, Lindstedt announced he will play alongside Ryan Harrison at the US Open.

Although Lindstedt was only at Pepperdine for a single season in 1998, the native of Sweden made it a memorable one. He helped march the Waves to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship, ending the season with a 27-6 record and a #9 ranking.

At the NCAA Doubles Championship just a few short days later, Lindstedt and partner Kelly Gullett finished second to current world #1 team Bob and Mike Bryan.

Although the Bryan brothers enter the US Open as the top seed and defending champions, Lindstedt got the upper hand just a few weeks ago at the ATP Rogers Cup in Montreal. Lindstedt and Nestor ended their 25-match win streak to advance to the semifinals.

Coco Vandeweghe, sister of recent Pepperdine men’s volleyball graduate Beau Vandeweghe, also reached the main draw of the women’s singles tournament after fighting her way to three wins in qualifying.

For more information on draws, results and broadcast schedule, visit the tournament’s official website at usopen.org.